Automotive vehicles typically have a radiator for cooling the engine. The radiator is commonly situated behind a grille. The grille permits air to flow therethrough and to the radiator to aid in cooling the engine. More specifically, vehicle grilles allow the flow of air to contact and cool the radiator fins, which in turn cool the radiator fluid that cools the engine.
As vehicle velocity increases, the amount of airflow through the grille and into the engine compartment increases, which slows the vehicle and makes the engine work harder. The additional airflow through the grill at higher vehicle speeds is also detrimental to fuel economy. As vehicle velocity increases, the amount of vehicle aerodynamic drag increases as a result of the increased airflow into the engine compartment through the grille. As aerodynamic drag increases, more energy is required to move the vehicle.